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Working with a Recruiter
Career Advice

We thought it might be helpful for you to know how to maximise the benefits of using a recruiter. Of course it’s our job to find the best person for each role, but by partnering with a specialist recruiter you will have an advocate who will promote your strengths and expertise to potential employers.

Benefits of using an expert recruiter

If you choose the right recruitment company, it can be the most effective way to find a new job. Here’s why.

We understand your jobs market

As a professional, you should only be looking for recruitment advice from an expert consultant who understands your profession and the sector you work in. A specialist recruiter will work within a specific sector such as accountancy or engineering for example. Hays’ recruiters will understand the special terminology of your industry, how your particular job works and where your skills are most suited for your next career move. We will also be able to advise you on your salary levelagainst the market value.

We can improve your CV

Our expert consultants view hundreds, sometimes thousands of CVs in a week, so they know what makes a good CV. If you’re being matched with a job you are interested in, you will come in to meet someone who will be able to advise you on ways to improve your CV.

We make you aware of the social media pitfalls and opportunities

We understand the importance of social media in your job search and can advise you on your personal brand and online profile so that you can make a good impression on a prospective employer. In addition, our unique relationship with LinkedIngives us a better understanding than any other recruiter on how to make your profile as searchable as possible.

We can act as your agent

One of the most valuable aspects of working with a recruitment consultant is that they can represent you with the companies you are interested in working with. If you’re applying directly and you have something unusual in your CV, it can be hard to explain that to the prospective employer.

Equally it’s difficult to get across your professional appearance and personality in a CV. That’s where a recruitment consultant comes in. We have two-way contact with the hiring company because we have a relationship with them, so we will make a stronger case for you and get the feedback you might not be able to receive when applying independently. Equally, we have the skills and experience to be able to sell you above the other candidates and upon offer, negotiate the best package on your behalf.

A common misconception amongst jobseekers is that we charge a fee to the candidate. The fee comes from the hiring company, only when they agree to hire the person they want. That fee is completely separate from your negotiated salary and companies are happy to pay a recruitment consultancy to find them the best people in the market.

We’ll prepare you for interviews

Our consultants prepare candidates for interviewson a regular basis. We aim for a "win win" situation between candidate and company. It is our role to ensure we provide an impressive shortlist of candidates who meet the criteria the vacancy requires.

We know the hiring company and the hiring manager, so we’ll be able to brief you on what the interviewer will be particularly interested in. We’ll coach you on what to say and what not to say to impress the interviewing panel. We will give you feedback on your interview technique. We can also provide you with advice on how to remedy any gaps in your industry knowledge.

Developing a partnership

We have to work as a team to able to get you that job you really want. So we both must have an understanding of the recruitment process.

Apply for a job

If you are applying for a job that is being managed by a recruitment consultancy there is a chance you may not hear back from them. This is because that job may have received hundreds of CVs. The consultant’s job is to provide the very best candidate match to the job specification.

They are experts through training and years of experience of matching the right person with the right job. Therefore if you don’t hear from your recruiter it is most likely there was another candidate more suitable for the job and (as much as they’d like to) the recruiter may not have had time to reply to all applicants in the time frame.

However, feel free to call the recruiter in charge of the job, just in case your CV was mislaid. The recruiter should give you honest feedback. If they think your skillset matches any other jobs they are managing, they will make you aware of those jobs as well.

Meeting your recruiter

Follow-up Actions

If a recruiter feels you are a good match for a job they will ask you to come in for an interview with them. Some jobseekers do not see any value in meeting up with their recruitment consultant, but it is absolutely essential. Firstly, from a compliance perspective, we have to give hiring companies the peace of mind we have used our full selection process to put the best candidate in front of them.

This means checking that you are who you say you are and that you’ve done what you said you did. Also, once we’ve met you, we will be able to make a stronger case for you with the hiring company. Not forgetting the value you’ll receive from our feedback on your CV and your interview techniques. Also, you should want to meet the person who is representing you to your potential future employer!

Alerting you to other jobs

It is most likely that you will be meeting your recruitment consultant after applying for a job. However, there are occasions when we have other jobs on our database that match your skillset. So we will make you aware of those jobs and allow to decide if you should apply for them. We will never put your CV forward for a job without your approval.

It is our responsibility to ensure you have all of the information you need about the job to enable you to decide whether you are interested in it. Equally it is your responsibility to seriously consider the job option and give your honest reply, so no-one’s time is wasted.

The next steps

If the hiring company reject your CV, we will let you know as soon as we know. Sometimes the hiring company can take a long time to respond, for a variety of reasons, but rest assured, we will inform you as soon as possible. In the interim we may alert you to other jobs that match your skillset. If the hiring company wants you to proceed to interview stage, that’s great news and we will give you interview coaching specifically for that role. If you are not the successful candidate, we will give you feedback from the company as to why you were not selected, as soon as we receive it.

Equally, we would like you to give us any feedback you have after the interview. If you are offered the job, that’s fabulous! We will negotiate to secure you the best package you are worth, without jeopardising the offer of employment. Working together we are there to guide and assist you and the better we understand your career objectives the more likely we are to be able to help you achieve them. Keep us informed as to which jobs appeal and which do not. Never go on an interview to make us happy - go on it because you are interested. If you are in a temporary job, let us know how to contact you. Also advise us if you are nearing the final stage with another role.

Do let us know your honest salary and benefit expectations throughout the negotiation process so we can ensure there is no misunderstanding when we speak to employers. By building a trusting relationship with us, we can "tell your story" to potential companies, and will advise you of every role before your CV is submitted (unless you have agreed otherwise). You can be sure that your current employer will not find out about your job search through us. No reference check would be taken up with them until you advise us we are able to do so.

Above all, we are passionate about people and our enthusiasm compels us to match the right person to the right job. We want to be your recruiter, not just for your next job, but for your entire career.

Imagine the benefits of working with the same recruiters and agency throughout your career? In order to find a relationship like this, you’ll need to work with someone who genuinely cares about finding the right job for you and bringing you the whole way. We look forward to working with you to help you achieve your full potential.

Key ways to establish a good relationship

Do not take tough feedback personally

Only contact your recruiter with relevant information - they don't always have time to chat